I have issues!

... Blogger issues! Thus, the lack of posts.

I am trying to figure out why all of a sudden my posts are sometimes formatted the way I want them to be, and sometimes they are not and everything looks like one big run-on paragraph (highly annoying to this former 6th-grade Language Arts teacher).

So, if anyone knows what the french toast is going on here and how it might be fixed, help this girl out, 'cuz the lack of formatting is making me K-razy (and that's not the kind of K I like to be!).

How do you...

... change poor sleeping habits?

... use time wisely?

... balance life?

... stay spiritual?

... stay healthy?

... stay connected?

... put priorities in order? (and keep them there!)

... follow through?

... live righteously?

... show you care?

... unwind for real?

... live life well?


Just thought I'd ask!

A Special Edition of K's Randomness

This special edition of K's Randomness is brought you by my grammatical "friends," Simile and Metaphor!

Metaphor says:
Housecleaning is a pit of quicksand you can't avoid. No matter how many times you try to get around it, you suddenly find yourself stuck in the middle of it.

Simile replies:
Lysol/Windex/409 are like the branches you hold onto to get out of that housekeeping pit of quicksand.

Simile says:
The alarm(s) going off at 4:45 am Monday - Friday is like a pitcher of ice-cold water suddenly thrown in your face - shocking and disorienting all at once.

Metaphor replies:
Having the chance to teach an early morning religion class to a group of awesome high school youth who know who they are and what they stand for in a world that seems crazy is worth every single drop of that cold splash of reality when the 4:45 am alarm(s) sounds.

Metaphor says:
Spending time with someone you love is a perfectly baked double-chocolate brownie that has just a little crunchy covering but a perfectly soft and melty center.

Simile replies:
Saying "see ya later" to that someone you love stinks like rotten eggs.

Thanks to my "friends," Simile and Metaphor for sharing my thoughts so well tonight! The only random thing that I can express better than either Simile or Metaphor is that...

I LOVE B!

and that's not random... that's just ALWAYS!

Sometimes I wonder...

Sometimes I wonder...
How some people become the "role models" of today. I mean seriously, there are a lot of people with talent in this world, they just have no standards or sense of decency, and yet they are "icons" of their industries. GAG ME!

Sometimes I wonder...
"why love has to be such a battlefield... a battlefield... a battlefield!" Well, not really. I don't live in a battlefield of love, the lyrics to that song just popped into my head. Totally RANDOM! And now, as I think about it, why does love have to be that kind of experience for so many people? It shouldn't be, and yet for some, it is.

Sometimes I wonder...
Why Texas summers seem to get hotter and hotter and hotter. Surely the summers get hotter because of global warming or something other than my increasing age number.

Sometimes I wonder...
How to be better today than I was yesterday.

Sometimes I wonder...
Where the cleaning fairies have disappered to 'cuz they sure aren't cleaning up after me!

Sometimes I wonder...
If what I do really makes a difference.

Sometimes I wonder...
If my blog stalker friends are ever entertained when they read my random thoughts!

Sometimes I wonder...
How I got to be in mid-30s

Sometimes I wonder...
What to eat for dinner. Okay, I wonder this A LOT. I have noticed when we have a meal plan for the week that I wonder this less often, but the frequency of a meal plan has decreased in the last few months!

Sometimes I wonder...
Why I am a responsible grown-up (mostly!) and so many other people are not. How did I develop that trait?

Sometimes I wonder...
What the world would be like if we cared about each other just a little bit more like we care about ourselves.

Sometimes I just wonder...

How about you?

Confessions

Okay, so Confession #1 is that there are really no juicy or exciting confessions in this post. I just thought that the title sounded intriguing and that it might draw you in! Don't be sad. Maybe you'll just get a good chuckle out of what I do confess and then you can forgive me for false advertisement!

Confession #2: I am thinking of legally changing my name. That's right, no more "K." Instead I am thinking that my name should be Ima, as in "Ima Procrastinator!" Of course, then I would have to rename this blog and "B & Ima" just doesn't have the same ring to it as "B&K."

Confession #3: I hate summertime in Texas. That's right, I used the words "hate" and "Texas" in the same sentence - the shame of it for a Texas girl. But, there is only one reason I would go there - summer in Texas is HOT! Blazin' hot...Burn-the-skin-off-your-thighs-when-you-sit-on-the-leather-interior-of-your-car kind of hot. What makes it worse is that it doesn't even cool down at night....not at midnight and not at 3 am (I know 'cuz I stay up that late). Don't get me wrong, I love Texas, just not in the summer.

Confession #4: I stay up too late. If you didn't know that, then let me officially introduce myself to you so that we can be friends... My name is Ima Procrastinator and I stay up way too late!

Confession #5: I'm an addict. Let me explain, maybe you know where I can get help for my addiction to... DIY Network, HGTV, and the home decor/home improvement blogs I stalk. That's right people, I live in the "I could do it if I had time, talent, and money" fantasy world of knocking down walls, adding on rooms, and "designing on a dime" with such relish that I could be the next "Design Star." Don't Judge Me.

Confesssion #6: I am HORRIBLE at staying in touch with people I love. I think about friends and family in other places ALL THE TIME. I have good intentions to show that I am thinking of them (gifts that need to be mailed, cards that just need to be addressed, etc.). I know what they say about the road paved with good intentions, I just forget to complete the communication pass. It really is a problem that leaves me feeling like a loser because I don't want my friends and family to think I don't love them or think about them... because I do.

Confession #7: I think that it would be fun to be a party planner. I love the planning, the decorating, and the execution of an event... but I HATE the cleaning, the cleaning, the cleaning. Oh yeah, it would be fun but I don't want to work with drama divas - you know, the ones who want you to help them but then do things their way.

Confession #8: I might be a drama diva - but only a tiny bit.

Confession #9: I want to be a better steward of all the blessings in my life but I struggle to do this on a regular basis. Some of the things I really want to do better are: use my time wisely, be more financially wise, balance my responsibilities, follow the counsel to be prepared, work on my family history. I have really felt the push to do a better job in these areas of my life but I don't really know how to get going and stay going.

Confession #10: Sometimes I wonder if I have ADHD. Well, minus the H, cause I'm too tired to be hyper. So I guess that would just be ADD and I'm pretty sure that I show symptoms.


Confession #11: That's it. Nothing more... tonight. This post is already enough to be too much information for anyone who might have stuck it out this long reading!

But hey, thanks for letting me confess! What do I do now?

"Hold on, hold on, hold on..."

"...gimme a minute..."

And now, a moment of rambling (brought to you by the overflowing mind of K, who needs a little brain drain!)...

• There is just some music that makes you cry.
• Some days are gloomy, even when you aren't.
• A good book can make a gloomy day much better.
  
  
• I miss my brother (thank you for serving our country)...
• I am so honored that Gretchen has proclaimed me her "best friend!" (3 year olds make being a BFF easy!)
  
  
• I miss my other brother (keep working hard in school)...
• And I miss their families.
  
  
• I am glad my youngest brother is close by...
• I can't believe D would actually want me to be there, but yes, I will be there!
• It makes me happy that Miss Maddy thinks I'm funny and that she "loves that Kirsten!"
  
  
• I appreciate my parents (even when I still act bratty!)
  
  
• I have the BEST sister in the world (but she needs to update her blog!)
  
  
• I miss the San Antonio crew. They are some of the best in-laws (or outlaws!) a girl could have and I LURVE my nieces! They fill my bucket.
  
  
• I have THE best husband in the world!
• I have the BEST husband in the world!
• I have THE BEST HUSBAND in the world!
  

And finally...

• Life passes quickly, don't wait for an invitation to enjoy it. After all, this may be the only moment you have. Don't waste it.

LURVE IT!

Pause my music player at the bottom before watching this history-making video from American Idol's 62-year-old contestent... General Larry Platt... and then make sure you don't have your "Pants on the Ground!"

Hip Hip Hooray, it's time for a vacay!

'Tis the season of thanks, and as I have mentioned before how grateful I am for my fantastic career. Well, today I am also really grateful that I get the entire week of Thanksgiving off from that wonderful job!

I appreciate the time to enjoy the beauty of the season, to get things done around my house, to visit with friends and family, to relax, to do whatever I want!

It's day #1 of our Thanksgiving break and today I: helped a friend rearrange her classroom, had lunch with B, cleaned my house, and done laundry. Productivity feels great!

And although this is a week away from school, I am committed to spending some time on a large work-related project that is never really complete... you know, READING!

Ah, the bliss of time off in the fall!

A Well-Used Phrase

You ROCK!

What is this?

• A phrase has become part of my natural vocabulary (and includes capitalized enthusiasm and exclamation points as part of the verbal delivery!).
  
  
• A phrase that other people often associate with me.

Where did it come from?

• My seester (aka: Jennif) and I have used it for a long time when we talk to each other.

Why do I use it?

• It says a lot with very little words.

How did it become a catch phrase at Church?

• When I was called to work with the seesters of my ward (aka: the Relief Society), I expanded it's use to describe how I felt about these women as I grew closer to them and came to know them better.

And now?

• I use it with the Young Women (where I am currently serving). After all, it is a phrase that definitely describes each of these awesome girls!
  
  
• Plus, it's just part of who I am!

Have You Ever Felt Like...

... the wind has been knocked out of your sails because of something a person said?

... giving someone a piece of your mind because they really have NO IDEA all the lengths that you have done to include everyone?

... ignoring the phone, unplugging the computer, and pretending that you aren't around so that people will leave you alone?

... throwing a fit because you are irritated beyond belief about something that you can not address, no matter how much you really want to, because it would hurt someone's feelings, and that's NOT really what you want to do (really, it's not!)?

... someone was making half-baked judgments and assuming that they "know" a better way to do something, even though they weren't there from the beginning and didn't contribute before?

... screaming at someone to "GET OFF MY BACK" and "STOP PICKING AT ME?"

Me too!

(click here for the story on the above photo)

Attention Mr. Dust...

Mr. Dust,

You and your friends are a nuisance!

Somehow you keep finding ways to sneak into my house and plop yourselves down on any visible surface you can find.

Take note... you are NOT welcome!

I know your agenda. You wait until everything has been thoroughly cleaned, then you watch for the cleaners to be put away, and as soon as the closet door is closed you and your friends breeze your way in and start covering things again.



Take note... this is war!

I hereby declare that you and I will continue to be engaged in an ongoing battle (after all, you are stubborn and vindictive), but I will fight you on a regular basis.



Take note... this is MY house!

So, Mr. Dust, you and your friends may be persistent, but this is MY house so...

BACK OFF!!!

Who am I?

I am a girl who has:
curly hair...
fingernails that grow quickly...
legs that are shorter than I wish...
and toes that are "weird" (according to B).

I am a girl who loves:
chocolate...
reading good books...
surfing the net for good ideas that I can't get done...
and spending time with people I love.

I am a girl who has been blessed with:
a good education...
opportunities to visit great places (like Boston!)...
a great career as an educator...
opportunities to serve the Lord.

I am a girl who has:
an amazing husband (but he has weird toes too!)...
a sister who is teaching herself to sew (right now, as I type)...
the CUTEST nieces and nephew in the ENTIRE WORLD...
and an amazing family.

Finally, I am a girl who is trying to:
lose weight...
be a little more patient...
give 100% to all that I do (but can't always)...
recognize that I am still learning and growing daily.

Oh yeah...
I am a girl who hasn't blogged lately (sorry, D)...
and hasn't posted those Boston pics (sorry, Sharla)!

So, that's who I am.
I'm glad to be me!

Thoughts for Today...

1. Accept that some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.
   
   
2. Always keep your words soft and sweet just in case you have to eat them.
   
   
3. Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
   
   
4. Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.
   
   
5. If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
   
   
6. It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply be kind to others.
   
   
7. Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time because then you won't have a leg to stand on.
   
   
8. Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
   
   
9. When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
   
   
10. Birthdays are good for you: the more you have, the longer you live.
    
    
11. You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.
    
    
12. Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
    
    
13. We could learn a lot from crayons... Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names, and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.
    
    
14. A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
    
    
15. Every moment matters so... ENJOY TODAY!

The "Done It" List

Instead of the "Git 'r Dun" list, which is never-ending and can leave you feeling buried alive (see picture above), I have been trying a new approach with the "Done It" List...



This is a daily list of at least 10 things (big AND small) that I accomplished during the day, and I have to say, it's MUCH... MORE... REWARDING!

Here's my "Done It" List for today...

1. Major record uploading of new books into the circulation system at work (Whew! Now those "pesky" kids that have been waiting and waiting can check out those new books!)
   
   
2. Submitted paperwork for orders at work (it's like shopping with someone else's money!)
   
   
3. Cleaned out the fridge (and I thought I wasn't any good at science projects!)
   
   
4. Took out the trash (Barf... I hate touching the trash can)
   
   
5. Collected all the recycling (where in the world does all of this paper come from?)
   
   
6. Popped in for a surprise visit to my mother-in-law while she was playing poker with some of her friends (remember JoAnn... dinner money!)
   
   
7. Put away clean clothes (now the "processing room" is back to being the guest room it's supposed to be... at least until the next load of laundry needs to be "processed!")
   
   
8. Talked to my sister-in-law in San Antonio, who I love mucho!
   
   
9. Put back an impulsive purchase BEFORE I actually purchased it (This is a HUGE accomplishment, especially since I was at the BOOKSTORE!)
   
   
10. Cleaned off the dining room table (I suffer from "pile instead of file!")
    

There it is, 10 things I have done today!

For me the "Done It" list is helping me to see that I do get quite a bit of good work done each day, which makes me happy (see picture below)... even though there are still things that keep rolling over to that stupid (yeah, I said STUPID!) "git 'r dun" list that's never "dun."

So, what's on your "DONE IT" list today?

Catch Phrase

Everyone needs a catch phrase.

Come on, you know that you need something to say at those times when no matter how hard you try and no matter who helps out, things just don't go as planned. In fact, sometimes despite our best efforts, things just fall apart. (Psssttt... you aren't the only one this happens to!)

Hence, the need for a catch phrase... a mantra... something to help you avoid finishing the famous "what the..." phrase with a "less than positive" word.

Some examples of good catch phrases include: "What the HECK" (note the use of a POSITIVE word to finish it!). "You've got to be kidding" and "Are you SERIOUS" work well in many situations. Occasionally, an "Oh, Man" or a well-placed "Indeed" can do the trick, but sometimes a situation just needs a good ole' solid shouting of "Jiminy Christmas" (my father-in-law's favorite to use when he was alive)!

I personally love the catch phrase Joseph B. Wirthlin shared in his final conference address (FYI: for some reason Blogger won't correctly embed the actual video in my post so it can be played... a perfect example of how things don't go as planned!)

His catch phrase, "Come What May and Love It" helped him out many times during his long life (proof that if an apostle of the Lord needs a catch phrase, then we all need one!).

For me the catch phrase I use during those less-than-stellar moments when things just don't go as planned, has become "it is what it is." The best part is that I didn't even know I had a catch phrase for those moments until Brian pointed it out tonight.

I'm glad to know I have a catch phrase I can go to during those moments! After all...

IT IS WHAT IT IS!!!

(So, what's YOUR catch phrase?)

I've fallen off the blogosphere (can I get back up?)

I have fallen off of the blogosphere... but did anyone really notice?

My blog postings have obviously not been updated in awhile. Why? Too many things to do, too little sleep already, and too much to worry about. Reflecting on this has made me wonder: why do I blog?

I started this because it was a way to keep in touch with friends and family (and believe me, I do my fair share of "blog lurking" on a regular basis, even when I don't update my own site). Through blogging I have found a whole new world of great people who share great ideas and let me get to know them better. But I have also found that sometimes the blog world shows me just how inadequate I am in a lot of areas.

I pop in and out of great sites all the time and see other houses that are more "put together" than mine, other people's perfectly planned weekly menus, uber-creative geniuses, and so much more that I am not. And again the question: why do I blog?

I guess it boils down to this: I can't keep a "real" journal to save my life (why that is, I don't know) and blogging let's me feel like I am creating a record of who I am and what my life is about - at least when I update - and that is important to me.

I don't have the extensive list of "followers" like some of the blogs I lurk around, and I don't even know if anyone is interested in the ramblings that I post, but I guess I'll keep blogging so that I can feel like I am "journaling" in some way, shape, or form.

For anyone who may want to sound off, the questions are :

1. Why do YOU blog?
2. Do you ever feel inferior as you visit the blogosphere?

A Day Off

Oh, what do you do with a day off from school?

You probably managed your time well and got everything done.

But if you're me, you slept in until it was time for...

What you didn't do (but should have!) was...

Despite not doing your chores, you (meaning I) felt HAPPY at the end of the day!

(so who cares if the dishes are still in the sink!)

Random Thoughts

I have nothing to "show-off" today, I just got tired of seeing the date of my last post. So... behold more random thoughts!

There are so many, where do I start?

1. I know - how about the fact that I am freaking out because of random dizzy spells accompanied with a headache that have occurred recently in my life. Today makes twice this week. I woke up with one, the room was literally spinning in my world, and I couldn't get my eyes focused. Not sure what's going on here, but I should probably call the doc.
   
   
2. How is it already the end of January?
   
   
3. I head to Austin next week for a work-related conference. I'm excited, but I always hate to leave Brian. Not because he needs me, but because I need him (he's the one who really keeps things working around here, I'm just glad he lets me come along for the ride!).
   
   
4. I am such a procrastinator (I call this random thought 'peat and 'repeat!).
   
   
5. Who knew that moving ALL of your furniture in one room could cause a chain reaction of movement and mess all around the house! (Thank goodness for my seester, aka Jennif, who helped me lift-and-move, then lift-and-move some more.)
   
   
6. Who's coming over to finish cleaning up this disaster I've created (Please Jennif... or D? Remember the song: "we are family!" Ok, I'll clean up my own mess... eventually!).
   
   
7. I am really glad that my mother-in-law's carotid artery scope went well yesterday (I don't know if that's the "official" term for the procedure, but it works for me).
   
   
8. Why isn't there enough time to get the things done that are on my "Amazingly Long List of Things To Do That We Don't Have Time For" list? (yeah, I was an English teacher and yeah, I use run-on sentences, and yeah I use the word, "yeah!").
   
   
9. Seeing Venus so clearly tonight was really cool!
   
   
10. Last one (for today)... I have the itchiest back EVER!

Free Your Mind (aka: Brain Drain!)

clip art from http://www.discoveryschool.com/

In my years as a classroom teacher, one of the activities I regularly used with my students was an activity that I called "Free Your Mind." However, my students quickly renamed as... "Brain Drain" and the term stuck!

The Rules

Step 1:

Set the timer for 5 minutes. Once the timer starts, your pencil has to be writing... continuously. Anything that comes to your mind goes on paper (appropriate, of course)...even if it is just doodling. Five minutes... no talking... no stopping... just writing (oh yeah, always have extra pencils handy... lead breaks!).

Step 2:

When the timer stops, pencils go down... right away... no dawdling. Now take out 3 colored pencils (or crayons).

Step 3:

Pick up one colored pencil (or crayon). Read over your "brain drain" list. Circle everything on your list that is positive.

Step 4:

Pick up your 2nd colored pencil. Highlight anything on your list that YOU have the power to improve.

Step 5:

Pick up your 3rd colored pencil. Cross out everything else!

Step 6:

Group share session = everyone shares something positive and something they can improve.

Step 7:

Set individual goals based on your "brain drain" results.

Step 8:

Revisit and repeat as needed.


The Results:

My students (and myself - since I tried to be a "do as I do" kind of teacher) "drained their brains" of all of the stuff floating through their minds. They were able to organize their thoughts. They were able to set more realistic goals for themselves. They found it easier to let go of some of the things that they had no control over.

It became a favorite activity in my class.

So...now you know how to "Free Your Mind" OR "Brain Drain" (whichever you want to call it). Try it out. See if it works for you.

And now, I'm on my way to complete Step 1 of the "brain drain." I have too many thoughts running through my mind and I won't be able to sleep until I move some of them out onto paper! Tomorrow, I'll highlight and sort my thoughts.

~ K

"Butt-in-Chair" Syndrome

Ok, so B is right (I hate it when that happens!)

He is right about the fact that I suffer from "butt-in-chair" syndrome.

Have you heard of it? It's a condition that I hope you can avoid!

Here's what happens:

1. You turn on the computer...
2. You get a coke and a bag of puffy cheetos (or whatever snack you choose)...
3. You sit in front of the computer...
4. You check your email (looking for comment notification)...
5. You check your blog (yep, it looks the same)...
6. You check your blog roll and start visiting...
7. And visiting...
8. And visiting...
9. And visiting...
10. And eating the puffy cheetos (it was a relatively new bag)...
11. Keep visiting (one place leads to another, to another, to another)...
12. Look at the clock...
13. Realize that once again, time has passed quickly...
14. Check the puffy cheeto bag and wonder "did I REALLY eat all those!"
15. Type up a lame-brain post so at least there is something new on the blog...
16. Try to move beyond this recent attack of "butt-in-chair" and actually get something done around the house (which will be the gathering spot for family in just a couple of days to celebrate B's graduation!).
17. Realize that this syndrome (which could be contagious, but I'm no doctor) could strike again the next time you sit at the computer!

So, if anyone knows a good way to cure "butt-in-chair," do tell! I need a remedy!